Gokotta- Vibes & Moments

We have another Swedish word today, Gokotta, which means the “act of rising early in the morning to hear the first birds sing in nature.”

Leave it to the Swedish to have a word that means something that is so serene. This concept, immersing yourself in nature is beneficial both mentally and physically. This was picked because the birds have been waking me up every morning at dawn lately, so I thought this was appropriate.

What is the origin of the tradition?

In some parts of Sweden there is a tradition of going out into the wild on Ascension Day (40 days after Easter) to listen to the birds, and in particular, the cuckoo, sing their songs for the first time in spring. Even churches in many parts of the country agree to hold their Ascension morning service in the open so believers can hear the cuckoo sing. If the sound comes from the east or the west, it means good tidings – “Cuckoo in the west is the very best” – but if from the north or south, it’s not as good. Some people may eat a picnic breakfast or drink coffee before returning home. Singing and playing music are generally part of the festivities.